Long-term functionality of TCR-transduced T cells in vivo

J Immunol. 2008 May 15;180(10):6536-43. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.180.10.6536.

Abstract

To broaden the applicability of adoptive T cell therapy to cancer types for which tumor-specific T cells cannot routinely be isolated, an effort has been made to develop the transfer of tumor-specific TCR genes into autologous T cells as a novel immunotherapeutic approach. Although such TCR-modified T cells have been shown to react to Ag encounter and can be used to break tolerance to defined self-Ags, the persistence and capacity for renewed expansion of TCR-modified T cells has not been analyzed. To establish whether TCR-transduced T cells can provide recipients with long-term Ag-specific immune protection, we analyzed long-term function of TCR transduced T cells in mouse model systems. We demonstrate that polyclonal populations of T cells transduced with a class I restricted OVA-specific TCR are able to persist in vivo and respond upon re-encounter of cognate Ag as assessed by both proliferation and cytolytic capacity. These experiments indicate that TCR gene transfer can be used to generate long-term Ag-specific T cell responses and provide a useful model system to assess the factors that can promote high-level persistence of TCR-modified T cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer / methods*
  • Animals
  • Gene Transfer Techniques*
  • Mice
  • Ovalbumin / immunology
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / genetics*
  • T-Cell Antigen Receptor Specificity
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Transduction, Genetic*

Substances

  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • Ovalbumin